Jan as a Performer and Poet

Jan is available for readings from her novel Shakespeare's Clock published by Cranthorpe Millner (50 mins plus Q&A.). For more information click here or contact Jan.


'Red Lipstick & Revelations', a poetry collection, is published by Indigo Dreams Publishing (Most Innovative Publisher/Saboteur Awards 2017) and is available from Indigo Dreams. You can also purchase the book and an audiobook from Amazon. Poems from this collection have been published with Lunar Poets, Zoomorphic, South, Royal Society Literature Review, World Wide Writers, Reach Poetry, Aspects of Loss, Sarasvati and commendations in Aural Images, Rhyme & Reason, Words for the Wounded, was one of two honourable mentions in New Contrast South Africa's 2016 poetry competition and most notably Oxford University's Four Corners St Cross International Competition 2015 judged by Mimi Khalvati.

Winner of Bloomsbury Publishing's Writers & Artists' International Sonnet competition in conjunction with the Royal Society of Literature and judged by Ruth Padel. The competition was set up as part of Shakespeare's 400th Centenary Celebrations. 'Silver Surfing' took first place and was published in the RSL's December Review 2016.

'A lovely poem, with a beautifully confident voice, starting in medias res as Shakespeare sometimes does too, and a vivid, beautifully contemporary take on the universal feeling addressed by Shakespeare's Sonnet 30. Lively, alert, convincing language.'  Ruth Padel.


Red Lipstick & Revelations book launch
Jan at the launch of Red Lipstick & Revelations  with Creative Ink Actors: Jessica Cox and Jen Dannhauser

Book Launch Reviews:



'Ms Moran Neil mesmerised the audience with her reading. As well as being a novelist, playwright and poet, she is also an accomplished actress, so a plain reading was never on the cards.' Bucks Free Press

'I consider Jan to be the best interviewee I've ever had on the programme and the interview the best one I've ever done.' Diarmaid Fitzpatrick /Marlow FM Radio 97.5

'Jan Moran Neil's poetic narratives are vivid and succinct small slices of other people's lives, conveyed with wit and sympathy.' Jem Poster - Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing, Aberystwyth University

'A hugely ambitious collection, encompassing a wide range of themes, narrators and forms. The amount of thought and craft that has gone into this portfolio is admirable.' Dr Sarah Burton - Course Director of Creative Writing MSt, University of Cambridge

'I think you'll enjoy this collection. It's interesting and thought provoking.' Frost Magazine

'A sinuous and stimulating book and formidable collection of word art.' New London Writers

Amazon Reviews:



'A beautifully personal collection of poetry. Fabulous!',   'Clever, funny, poignant... these poems stayed with me long after the book was closed. Great for mind and soul, this is a collection I shall return to often. Definitely recommend.',  'Beautifully crafted and at the same time full of surprises.... ah now I get the title! Clever.'



Jan is available to present her one woman readings and stories behind the stories of Red Lipstick & Revelations (50 mins plus Q&A.). For more information contact Jan.


'Red Lipstick & Revelations' Performances and Broadcasts:



University of Cambridge - April 2015

Marlow FM 97.5 Radio - April 2015

St Cross, College, University of Oxford - October 2015

Marlow FM 97.5 Radio - February 2017

Book Launch, Barn Hall, Amersham - April 2017

Gerrards Cross Bookshop - June 2017

Beaconsfield Library - July 2017

Gerrards Cross Literary Festival - September 2017

Wycombe Sound Radio - September 2017

Hazlemere Library - September 2017

Fish Hoek Scribblers, Cape Town - October 2017

Fish Hoek Library, Cape Town - October 2017

A Touch of Madness, Off the Wall, Cape Town - November 2017

Abbeyfield Residential Home, Gerrards Cross - December 2017

Unity 101 Radio - January 2018

Wycombe Sound Radio - February 2018

Bourne End Library - February 2018

Off the Wall, Scarborough, Cape Town - March 2018

Gerrards Cross Library and Judging of Poetry Competition - May 2018

Egham Women's Institute - June 2018

Watford Area Arts Forum and Judging of Writing Competition - July 2018

Marlow FM 97.5 Radio - August 2018

Launch of Fish Hoek Scribblers' Centenary Anthology - October 2018

St James's Residential Home, Kalk Bay, Cape Town - November 2018

Fish Hoek Scribblers, Cape Town - November 2018

Wycombe Abbey School and Judging of Short Story Competition - May 2019

Simons Town School, Cape Town - February 2020

Stoke Mandeville Hospital for patients with spinal injuries. May 2023


Some of the many comments made on 'Red Lipstick & Revelations' Performances:



'It was wonderful Jan. Inspirational to hear such a great poetry performance. It really does make a difference to hear live poetry.' Richard Candy/Gerrards Cross Bookshop performance.

'Just wanted to say a very big thanks for such an enjoyable and successful afternoon yesterday at the library. As was universally agreed your readings of your poems brought them to life and made the whole event so vibrant. I thoroughly enjoyed it - as did the others.' Helen Goreham/Beaconsfield Library.

'I just wanted to thank you once more for a great poetry reading this morning. You read such a variety of poems with all the different voices and interesting stories interspersed between them, the forty minutes flew by. The customers I spoke to said they had all really enjoyed it as did I.' Sally Blackburne/Hazlemere Library.

'Jan, It was so lovely to hear your voice and your beautiful words last night. I look forward to hearing those poems on the website.' Jacques Coetzee/Off the Wall, Cape Town.

'Thank you so much for coming. The feedback I have heard about it so far has been lovely.' Mary Coleman/Abbeyfield Residential Home, Gerrards Cross.

'It was a great performance, Jan.' Pamela Mintner/Bourne End Library.

'Many thanks for bringing Jan to our poetry evening last night; I found her to be a breath of fresh air.' Alison/Off the Wall, Scarborough, Cape Town.

'It all went very well & our volunteers have been talking about the event all afternoon and how lovely it was, so thank you very much.' Lorraine Surridge/Gerrards Cross Library.

'Just a note to say a big thank you for your talk this evening and reading of your wonderful poems, our members really enjoyed it, we had such a lot of feedback - thank you. We will certainly recommend you to our other WI groups.' Susan Lee/Egham WI

'It was an absolute pleasure to work with you on this project, thanks for your help, understanding, speedy responses and delightful performances on the night. The timing was perfect of course!' Helen Nicell/Watford Area Arts Forum

'Thank you so much for coming to High Wycombe Library yesterday, and delivering your readings so brilliantly. We thoroughly enjoyed your performance and I will look forward to reading your poems. Although we were a small, intimate audience, we really appreciated and enjoyed the session.' Jane Birtwhistle/Library Service Co-ordinator/High Wycombe Library

'You were wonderful and I heard every word.' Mrs Betty Halstead OBE, aged 100/St James's Residential Home

'It was a wonderful evening!' Mrs S Mason/Wycombe Abbey School

'Just listen to Jan for five minutes. It's great. You won't regret it. Believe me.' Greg, Aspire employee/Stoke Mandeville Hospital for patients with spinal injuries




Jan's poem 'Bird Brains' is published in Indigo Dreams Publishing's anthology Voices For The Silent along with Margaret Atwood and Philip Larkin. In aid of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Voices or he Silent

Jan's short story 'Scheurer's Green' is published in Bridge House Publishing's anthology Evergreen.

Evergreen

Jan joined Malcolm Parr at Marlow 97.5 FM Radio in February 2023 to read 'Scheurer's Green' on air It's about the nineteeth century flower fluffer Matilda Scheurer and her fate.




On 'Scheurer's Green'. Fish Hoek Scribblers, Cape Town:



'Jan sounded like Audrey Hepburn being the Eastender cockney Eliza Doolittle, in My Fair Lady, and even better and fluent! It was a stupendous performance that had us riveted! Thank you, Jan.' Brigitte Murphy/Scribblers

'What fun we had at Scribblers last night. Jan is such a brilliant actress.' Sue Capon/Scribblers

'Thank you, Jan. It was a fantastic evening.' Bronwen Hanfo/Scribblers

'What a treat to listen to. Thank you.' Deborah Ward



The poem 'Sunday Shoes' was one of three winners and one of the three commendations in Enfield Poets International Poetry Competition (1000 entries) and can be read on enfieldpoets.com - May 2020.

Jan can be heard as the voice of Olive in the animated film The Bigger Picture - written and directed by Daisy Jacobs which was nominated for an Oscar and 26 film awards including a BAFTA in 2015. See more about the film here - The Bigger Picture


Theatre work: National Youth Theatre, Dome Theatre Montreal, Ruddles Theatre Company, A-One Theatre Company, Key Theatre Peterborough, Nottingham Playhouse, New Shakespeare Theatre Company, BBC Radio, two short films with Mike Leigh.